“Clare Hart. We know you’re in there,” the officer said.“You can either open the door and answer our questions, or we’ll come back with a warrant.”
The raps on the door grew more urgent.
“How do we know you are Garda?” Sorcha asked. “We can’t be too careful.”
“Does this badge mean anything?” the man yelled back. “Open up, or Clare is coming down to the station with us.”
“Let them in,” Clare said. “I have nothing to hide.”
The two officers entered, showing their badges. The most striking thing about them were their eyes, so blue they blazed like gas jets.
“We won’t stay long,” the older one spoke through his walrus-style mustache. “We have a few questions, and we’ll get out of your way.”
The younger one sneered at the piles of fabrics, twigs, beads, and raw material used to make fairy paraphernalia.“This looks like a perfect hiding place for stolen goods.”
“This happens to be the headquarters for Wands, Wings, and Wardrobes, your Otherworldly online store.” Clare rolled her eyes, despite her thudding heart. “Didn’t know the brave men of the Garda were into fairy garb. Could I interest you in a hemlock wand? Or a stardust crown?”
“What are you looking for?” Sorcha asked, sittingdown on the couch next to Clare.
“We’re not at the liberty to divulge that,” the older man said. “All we want to know is if you’ve seen this man.”
He handed Clare a grainy photograph of Griffin. It looked like it was taken from a security camera.
Clare had no reason to lie, especially since the Garda probably already knew the answer.
“I sat next to him on the airplane,”she said. “Why? What did he do?”
The younger officer scribbled in his notepad. “Did he speak to you?”
“A little,” Clare said. “But I was sick most of the flight. Had to use the airsickness bag.”
“The flight attendant said he bought you a drink.” The older one took off his horn-rimmed glasses and rubbed the lenses with his grimy fingers. “Sounds like he wanted to get acquaintedwith you.”
Clare rolled her eyes and smiled. “I get a lot of male attention, but he pretty much slept through the flight.”
“Did he show you anything strange?” The younger officer fixed Clare with an electric blue-eyed glare.
“What kind of question is that?” Clare snickered. “And no, he didn’t flash me or anything. He was kind of standoffish.”
“Did you notice anythingelse?” The older man fiddled with his pen. “Did he seem nervous or evasive?”
Clare pursed her lips and shook her head slowly. “He plugged his ears with earbuds most of the time.”
The younger officer held out a card. “If you think of anything, give us a call.”
“This man isn’t in some kind of trouble, is he?” Clare asked. “I’m not in any danger, am I?”
The two officersglanced at each other for a moment, and then the older one patted Clare’s shoulder. “We got an anonymous tip that he might have passed something to you, but it looks like that was a bunch of hooey. You have nothing to worry about.”
“That is, if you truly don’t have the contraband.” The younger officer lifted an eyebrow and scanned the mess in the sitting room. “It seems your seatmate stiffedsome very powerful people, and you’d better hope they don’t think you’re in possession of the item in question.”
“May I ask what it is you’re looking for?” Clare asked in as calm a tone as she could muster.
“Fairy stuff,” the younger officer said with a smirk. “Got an anonymous tip saying you ladies were seen with something suspicious.”
“We sell all of this stuff over theinternet,” Sorcha said. “Why would any of this be suspicious?”
“Right,” Clare huffed. “Have a look around. We have amulets and lucky charms. Magic wands, capes, fairy wings, and healing crystals.”
